This invention relates generally to slide fasteners and, more particularly, to slide fasteners for joining large sections of flexible sheet material.
Slide fasteners such as the familiar zipper are used extensively to join sections of flexible sheet material in a wide variety of applications. One such application entails the joining of modular, tent units to provide composite shelters of desired size and configuration. Although quite useful when quick, temporary shelter is required, such composite structures exhibit various deficiencies directly associated with the zippers used to join the discrete units. For example, if foreign materials become wedged between teeth during a zipping operation or if individual teeth are damaged or lost, a zipper becomes inoperable. Also, the repair of damaged zippers often is impractical and in any case requires special tools. Another significant deficiency of the common zipper is its failure to create liquid tight seals which results in shelters that are not completely weatherproof.
The object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved fastener for joining sections of flexible sheet material and, more specifically, a slide fastener for joining modular tent units into composite structures of a desired shape and size.